Pereiro swaps cycling for football

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Oscar Pereiro is set to make a speedy return to competitive sport by joining the Spanish football team Coruxo. The 2006 Tour de France winner retired from cycling at the end of this season, which he spent at Astana.

“Playing for a football team was one of my dreams since I started in the sporting world, and so this new step is a very good challenge and I’m very excited,” Pereiro told AS.

Coruxo F.C. are based in Pereiro’s home region of Galicia, and currently lie in 14th place in group 1 of the Segunda Division B, the third flight of football in Spain.

Pereiro joins the club for training on Monday and the 33-year-old will begin his career with the reserve team.

“I will play in the reserves but I’ll also train with the first team a couple of times a week,” he said. “Each day I will try to learn something new from my teammates. I’ll play wherever they tell me although I’ve always felt best in midfield.”